Khinkali

Name: Khinkali
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 500 g plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for rolling; 250 ml cold water; 1 large egg, lightly beaten (optional — some Georgian families use an egg for a softer dough); 1 tsp fine sea salt for the dough; 1 tbsp neutral oil for the dough; 500 g coarsely minced beef (around 15% fat); 200 g coarsely minced pork shoulder (or 700 g all beef for a leaner result); 1 large onion (about 200 g), very finely diced — do NOT grate, the texture matters; 3 garlic cloves, finely minced; 20 g fresh coriander, finely chopped — stems and leaves; 1 tsp ground cumin + 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper + 0.5 tsp khmeli suneli (or 0.25 tsp caraway + 0.25 tsp ground fenugreek as substitute); 1.5 tsp fine sea salt for the filling; 200 ml ice-cold beef stock or cold water (releases steam slowly during boiling — this is what creates the famous broth pocket); 1 tbsp coarse sea salt for the cooking water; Plenty of freshly cracked black pepper, to scatter at the table

Khinkali are Georgia's national dumplings — large dough pouches filled with minced beef and pork with onion, coriander, and pepper, boiled in water. The dough is thick enough to retain the broth that forms inside from the meat juices. Before biting, the twisted top — the tail — is broken off and the hot liquid is sipped first. Khinkali are eaten by hand, not with cutlery. The twisted tail is not eaten — it is left on the plate, and the number of tails remaining often serves as an informal count of how many one has eaten. Eating khinkali is socializing — several rounds are ordered at a restaurant and conversation stretches on for hours.

Total time1h

Active time30m

Servings4

DifficultyMedium

Cost$$

Add to my meal plan

❤️

Rich in protein

Filling and nutritious

❄️

Can be frozen

Great for meal prep

⭐

Traditional recipe

Authentic taste

Ingredients 4 servings

500 g plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for rolling
250 ml cold water
1 large egg, lightly beaten (optional — some Georgian families use an egg for a softer dough)
1 tsp fine sea salt for the dough
1 tbsp neutral oil for the dough
500 g coarsely minced beef (around 15% fat)
200 g coarsely minced pork shoulder (or 700 g all beef for a leaner result)
1 large onion (about 200 g), very finely diced — do NOT grate, the texture matters
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
20 g fresh coriander, finely chopped — stems and leaves
1 tsp ground cumin + 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper + 0.5 tsp khmeli suneli (or 0.25 tsp caraway + 0.25 tsp ground fenugreek as substitute)
1.5 tsp fine sea salt for the filling
200 ml ice-cold beef stock or cold water (releases steam slowly during boiling — this is what creates the famous broth pocket)
1 tbsp coarse sea salt for the cooking water
Plenty of freshly cracked black pepper, to scatter at the table

How to make it

1DOUGH: mix 500 g flour with 1 tsp salt in a large bowl; gradually pour in 250 ml cold water (and optionally 1 beaten egg + 1 tbsp oil), stirring with a fork, then knead on the bench 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, firm and elastic — it needs to be tough enough to roll thin without tearing; cover with film and rest 30 minutes at room temperature.
2FILLING: in a bowl, mix by hand 500 g beef + 200 g pork coarse-mince with 200 g very finely diced onion, 3 garlic cloves, 20 g chopped coriander, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp black pepper, 0.5 tsp khmeli suneli and 1.5 tsp salt; slowly pour in 200 ml ice-cold stock, 50 ml at a time, mixing after each addition — the filling should be loose and wet but not soupy; cover and chill 30 minutes.
3ROLLING: divide the dough into 4 pieces; work one piece at a time (keep the rest covered); roll out to a 2 mm thin sheet on a lightly floured surface; cut 12–14 cm diameter circles with a saucer or large glass; gather scraps, knead briefly and roll again.
4SHAPING: place a circle in your palm, put about 30 ml (2 tbsp) of filling in the centre; with the other hand, form 18–20 pleats around the filling, pinching each pleat between thumb and forefinger and twisting it gently toward the centre; at the end, gather all pleats at the top and twist the tip — the tail — to seal; set the khinkali on a floured surface.
5COOKING WATER: bring 4 litres of water to a vigorous rolling boil in a large pot and add 1 tbsp coarse salt.
6BOILING: drop 5–6 khinkali at a time into the boiling water (do not crowd); the moment they float to the surface (after 2–3 minutes), start your timer: boil another 8–10 minutes; total 12–14 minutes; they are done when the pleats turn translucent and you can see the broth moving inside.
7REMOVING: lift them out with a slotted spoon, let drain briefly and arrange on a warm plate; immediately scatter plenty of freshly cracked black pepper over the top; no sauce — khinkali are eaten plain.
8HOW TO EAT: hold the khinkali by the tail with your fingers, tilt slightly and bite a small hole near the seam, then sip the hot broth from inside first before it spills; then eat the rest of the dumpling, leaving the twisted tail on the plate; the number of tails left = how many you ate.